When we begin to work with a new client, the first thing I do is get to know them. I ask lots of questions, visit their offices and get to know their products or services. The only way to really help our clients is to be as well informed about their offerings as we are about the goals they’re trying to achieve.

There’s a school of thought when it comes to branding that I learned from another agency on the East Coast. They call it “inside-out branding.” The premise is that a company should market themselves in such a way that who they are on the “inside” – meaning their inner workings, what they create and how they do business – is apparent in their external marketing. Zappos is a good example of this philosophy. Zappos is built on a foundation of exemplary customer service, and it’s a big part of their brand personality from the public’s perspective, too.

For several years, we’ve been working with a client – Eventide – that provides senior living communities in North Dakota and Minnesota. When you visit their campuses, you get a strong sense of what they stand for and what they’re trying to achieve. Their campuses are filled with light, artwork (even commissioned pieces), beautiful wellness centers, lounges and many other amenities. The organization is also moving their focus toward creating hospitality-based environments. This new way of thinking and creating spaces in senior living communities focuses on amenities and provides an almost hotel-like atmosphere, designed to enhance the lives of seniors through activities and relaxation. When you walk into Eventide it’s exactly what you see. It’s also what they need to show the world through their marketing.

Our approach to Eventide’s goals has included a focus on bringing this emphasis into the public eye. Since they are building and opening a new campus in Fargo later this year, we’ll need to promote the campus and assist with recruitment while educating the public about what makes Eventide unique. In addition, we’ll have many opportunities to spread our message utilizing public relations; since this new campus is part of a larger vision the organization has to become a regional group of communities that meet the growing need for senior housing. With these goals in mind, we created a comprehensive strategy to accomplish all of these objectives.

Highlights of our strategy include a strong emphasis on creative work that communicates how Eventide elevates senior living beyond the science of healthcare and the practicality of housing. From this our campaign slogan, The Art of Senior Living, was born. On the recruitment side, we needed to emphasize the benefits Eventide provides, including a strong career path for young nurses and CNAs. Thus our campaign slogan for recruitment, Create a Career that Matters, was also born. When it came to imagery and advertising, we’ve utilized an art and light theme, which will soon be seen in their upcoming campaigns. The campaign slogans also support their organization’s corporate tagline – well known for many years – Where Caring Comes to Life.

For the public relations piece, Absolute is providing media training. One of our goals for this training is to show Eventide management how to let what they do so well shine through in their communications on-camera and on the radio. To achieve this objective, we developed a list of Eventide’s most important attributes using adjectives that describe the organization’s greatest assets. Once the most important three or four assets were identified, our training was structured around bringing this personality to life with the tone and the language we use in communicating with the public and the media. These messages also reinforce the brand promise that is implied in the corporate tagline and campaign slogans.

When it comes to communicating your brand personality to the public through marketing, advertising and public relations, showing who you are from the inside out is an incredibly important strategy for your success.

Looking for a marketing partner to help you develop a strategy that portrays your inner company identity? Give us a call at (701) 478-1111 or visit absolutemg.com/contact.